Kakemono is the general term for calligraphy and painting hung in the alcove, and it is positioned as the principal utensil (shu no dogu) among all tea utensils. Its content and format vary — Zen calligraphy, classical brushwork, painting with inscription, letters — and it is through the scroll that a host indicates the theme of a gathering. A full gathering begins with the guests examining the scroll, and it is the skeleton on which the whole arrangement is built.
History
Kakemono derive from the calligraphy of senior monks in Song and Yuan Zen temples, and by the Muromachi period such calligraphy was prized among the shogunal house and the warrior class. In tea practice, Murata Juko's obtaining of calligraphy connected with Ikkyu Sojun placed it at the centre.
Why it comes first
Because the scroll states the theme, it is chosen before the utensils rather than to match them. A host who selects utensils first and then finds a scroll to fit has inverted the order — a recognised failing rather than a matter of taste.
Sources
- 掛物（デジタル大辞泉 / 改訂新版 世界大百科事典） / コトバンク
Supports: 掛物が掛軸と同義であること（表装・表具の項を含む）
About this article
Edited by the operator of Chaen (a one-person operation) / Last updated:
Tea ceremony descriptions can vary by school and source. Where interpretations differ, this glossary avoids definitive claims and focuses on broadly shared understandings. If you notice an error, please let us know viaContact. To learn about our organization, seeAbout Chaen.
Term info
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Related terms
- Tokonoma (display alcove)tokonoma
The raised alcove holding the hanging scroll and flowers; the place where a gathering's theme is stated.
- Bokuseki (Zen calligraphy)bokuseki
Calligraphy by Zen monks, the most highly ranked of hanging scrolls, which fixes the theme of a sitting.
- Haiken (examining the utensils)haiken
The part of a gathering where guests take up and look closely at the utensils, and ask the host about them.
- O-natsume (large thin-tea container)o-natsume
A larger, higher-ranking natsume, used at formal thin-tea sittings and where maki-e is the point.
- Usuchaki (thin-tea containers, collectively)usuchaki
The general category of containers for thin tea, of which the natsume is the representative form.